Greenville-based Contender Development has big plans for an 11.8-acre piece of property it purchased along Woodlark Street between Laurens Road and Interstate 385 that will soon be bounded by the Prisma Swamp Rabbit Trail extension.
Contender CEO Ford Elliott said his company, which bought the land for $2.7 million, is in the early stages of planning what could be a $100 million mixed-use project that would take advantage of the trail and the nearby Holland Park development.
“The land is very special to us and we want to do something special for Greenville,” Elliott said.
He added that his vision for the property is to build on the momentum the Swamp Rabbit Trail has gained all along its current 22-mile length from Travelers Rest through Greenville and, with efforts to expand the trail, into the Golden Strip.
Although the exact nature of the project is still being determined, Elliott said he anticipates it will incorporate multifamily housing, mixed retail and restaurant, and potentially office components.
Elliott said he has been looking at the property for several years, but the trail expansion and the city’s continued progress in developing a vision for the Gateway Corridor made the timing perfect for launching the new project.
In a release announcing the property sale, Frank Hammond with Colliers, who represented owner Barry Alford, said the parcel was previously 17 acres with a Laurens Road frontage but was subdivided to accommodate new businesses including Home Team BBQ, Flying Rabbit Adventures and Double Stamp Brewery.
Elliott said access to those adjacent businesses will inform choices in the composition of his firm’s project. He added that it’s become clear that whether people live or work in the area, they put a premium on trail access and conveniently located amenities like dining and shopping options.
This is the fourth project in the area by Contender Development, which is one of the Southeast’s larger development firms with more than $1 billion in projects across the region.
Contender Development’s plans for the property are expected to include:
A multifamily housing component
Mixed retail
Restaurants
Potential office space
Could total more than $100 million investment
Original Article by Upstate Business Journal: https://upstatebusinessjournal.com/business-news/greenville-sc-developer-planning-major-project-along-swamp-rabbit-trail-extension/
